Late Bloomer Playlist - Nanowrimo Inspo

This page was live and dynamic between Nov.1 – Nov. 30, 2022 during NaNoWriMo.

I’m entering the National Novel Writing Month (NanoWrimo) Challenge starting Nov 1. The goal? Write a 50,000 word novel by Nov. 30. Will it be rough? Yes. However, I’ve outlined it and I’m ready to go. It’s cool that the application asks for a playlist, so here it is…Play on iTunes (edited as of Nov 15 to better reflect this character, separate from my MODEL RICANS character):

ESP – Deee Lite
Who’s Afraid of Detroit? – Claude von Stroke
Speechless — Kruder & Dorfmeister
Your Girl — Blue States
Runaway — Deee Lite
Backward — Kode 9 & the Spaceape
Hol it Down — Botchit Breaks
Frank Mills – The Lemonheads
Bambatta – Shy Fx
Brown Paper Bag – Roni Size & Raprezent
He Venido – Los Zafiros
Salvation
Rebirth of Slick – Digable Planets
Summertime – The Sundays
Cornflake Girl – Tori Amos
Ego War – Gang Gang Dance
The Argument – The Sea & Cake
Don’t Move – Phantogram
Mexican Chef – Xenia Rubinos
Xica da Silva – Jorge Ben
Brexit Beats – Plastician
Killing Me Softly — Roberta Flack
Who Can It Be Now? — Men at Work

These are not all the songs, so check it out on iTunes

Oct 31: This is the playlist to kick off National Novel Writing Month, which starts tomorrow. I officially registered. It’s free and connects me to a whole community of writers. It’s so cool. Check back here to see chapters develop for my Working Title: LATE BLOOMER.

This is a romance/comedy/happy FICTIONAL story about a narcissist who learns to become a skilled empath when she meets her true love. There are nine chapters. Style is Tropical Goth. I will write a chapter per day with the goal of writing 50,000 words. Why? I need this exercise for focus. I realized if I write a happy, positive rom-com, I can create a better, more optimistic strategy for my new marriage, of which I am the CFO.

This is a scary role for me to take on because my parents had very gendered roles — Dad in charge of money and managing it. But now that’s me. YIKES! But I should be OK. After writing about my Dad’s grandmother MARIA LA GATA, who was quite the businesswoman, I’m channeling her savvy for the benefit of my new family. This is going to be my way from now on: teach myself how to live better IRL by writing FICTIONal stories based on real life. Some of this new novel is being pulled from my other novel-in-progress, MODEL RICANS, which is now officially in editing stage (Note to self: Is it? Not really, what I’m doing with it now is learning how to self revise, and that will be a process, but at least now I know I’m taking the right steps so it feels closer to editing stage! Considering how much time it will take to go through the checklist for every single chapter, I don’t know if I will meet my self-imposed deadline for Nov. 22. That’s because I have not spent time breaking down the time and creating a plan. OK. Hold on…)

My goal is to really differentiate this novel, “Late Bloomer” as a rom-com.

Nov 1	Chapter 1	Today I met someone who makes me want to run away because I like him so much. If I run now, I won’t have a chance to f%*k things up. As I am thinking about ghosting, washing dishes, staring out the window at the decrepit house next door, its cracked windows, rotting wood, overgrown weeds and bamboo creeping into the cracks, I wonder if just maybe — I wanna run because he just might be the right buyer for this fixer upper.
Nov 15 – Midpoint!	Midpoint Excerpt	I’m at 20,091 words. Can I write 5,000 words by end of today? There is a virtual write-in with NaNoWriMo today at 6:30 and I find it helps me get a little competitive with all the other people participating in the challenge, so that might help me hit that deadline! Question is — do I focus on this novel or Model Ricans? I average about 300 words per 15 minutes. It will probably be easier if I set objectives for each of the 15 minutes. OK. It’s 12:34pm right now. So let’s try this: 15 min: The Kitchen – done at 12:57pm Break for 12 minutes Listen to Writing Coach Recording so I can be aware of how to structure these scenes. Writing a simple, linear novel is hard enough, any additional complication is making your job harder — don’t be afraid of difficulty, but just be aware. Last week I decided to make my job easier — delete the alternating POVs in Model Ricans so I can focus on my main character’s first-person voice. Yay. So good to make that decision, cut the novel in half, and move forward with a version of the novel I am now feeling is closer to being ready to send to developmental editor on Nov. 22. 15 min: The Bathroom — 1:11pm-1:26pm Break until next sprint. Writing Coach Recording: If some part of you wanted to hold on to the alternating POV, it would require a deep dive into the second character. 15 min: The Exterior/The Skin Suit — 1:30pm OK. I’m at 22,348. Only about 3,000 to go. Let’s see, I’ll work on consulting work between 2-3pm. OK, just finished editing a video clip for a client. Woo! It’s kinda fun documenting my work day. 3 pm: Three more sprints. 15 min The Garden — now up to 23,066 words 4-5:30: More consulting work — tweaking some interactive maps! 6:30pm Virtual Write In 15 min The Decor, Sex, Travel — now up to 23,990 words 15 min The Meaning of Georgic — OK, now up to 25,038 words. Woot!
Nov 18	What I Learned From All the Places I Went	OK, it’s 8:39. After taking a couple of days “off” to work (still gotta make money, y’all), I’m ready to dive in again. I’m thinking another 2,500-5,000 words is a good goal. Sprint 1: Narcissist & Buddhist first convo at the art show (chapter 1) Sprint 2: I spend the rest of the night not sleeping, but wondering if he will call or text the next day. Oh god. This quest for romantic love is so old. I’m frayed around the edges. What else? (end of chapter 1) Sprint 3: No one remembers what they did 24 hours ago. Why? (beginning of chapter 2) Sprint 4: It’s a good niche I carved. DJ to all the narcissist politicians in DC. They call me DJ Chakra Girl. How blocking numbers helps with energy efficiency… Sprint 5: The reluctant app date scene Sprint 6: Decide if I should switch the POV to third person. This way I can write the scene between the Buddhist and Donna at the bank. Yes, I think I am deciding now to do this at 9:15am. OK. Ending this first sprint at 9:52am. Stretch. 10am Taking a break now to work. 3pm — UCLA WP Now meeting! 6:37pm: Ending the day at 27,843 words. Not bad. 2,805 words today!
Nov 19	My Skin Suit
Nov 20
Nov 21
Nov 22	Archetypal Madrina/Career Tia
Nov 24 Thanksgiving, Bro, take a break, cojelo con take it easy!
Nov 27		As of 11:38am I’m at 30,034 words. Only 20,000 more to go. I got this. As of 12:34pm I’m at 30,378 words. OK, that’s about 340 words in one hour. Gonna take a break! As of 6:24pm I’m wondering if I should post this novel on CareerTias.org when it’s done?
Nov 28		As of 9:57am I’m at 32,423 words. 10am-1pm Consulting Work!
Nov 29		As of 7am I’m at 32,934 words. Gonna write for two hours before starting consulting work! Go Mel! Realizing at this moment at 7:59am that the cottage is the first house they renovate before marriage. The mid century modern is the second house they renovate after marriage. Aha! That’s a good structure. I am an architect of books. I am building a book like I would a house. 8:12am. 33,373 words and the realization at this moment is that @theFemmebots IG tells this story with images/characters. Interesting! 8:21am. Coined new phrase: Hipster Fixer Upper 8:38am. 33,526. Need to get more words faster so I will search thru the journals today for more content. 9:06am. 34,083. Pausing now to do consulting work! Only 17,577 words to go! C’mon, Mel! 10-11am NI editing. 11-noon: Map updates 12-12:30 Break 1:48pm I’m at 34,589 words. 2pm Meeting with prospective new client. 3pm Write! As of 3:29, I’m at 35,283 words. My brain is burning out now I think. Need a break.
Nov 30	50,046 words	4:22pm. Geez. Last day and I’m at 35,397 words. Consulting work has been kicking my ass this week, which is a good thing because I need the moola, but then I got sick yesterday and suddenly puked which was also a setback, and then Pip got sick and had to go to the vet. Aack! Let’s see if I can write 14,603 words in the last few hours of this day….hahahahaha. 7:22pm. I’m at 42,353. I figured out that I could re-shape a lot of the daily journal entries I’ve written this year into scenes. Need to take a break but I think Imma make it! 8pm. I’m participating in Sarah Nicolas’s weekly virtual write-in on YouTube and after the first sprint, I’m at 44,474 words. 10:48pm I’m at 47,761 words. 10:57pm I’m at 48,515 words after adapting my DC Noir short story in as one of the chapters of this novel, woot! Getting creative over here late at night at the buttcrack of the deadline! 11pm: Starting another sprint with my comadres Bridgette and Jen on the West Coast, thank you, ladies, for helping me push through! 11:58pm I’m at 50,046 words. DONE!!! I am no longer hiding. I am an OUT and proud writer! Is the novel clunky and unfinished? Absolutely! But did I write at least 50,000 words in a month? Siiiiiii!!! Golaaaazoooooooooo!